Comparison of Behavioral Activation and Antidepressant Medication in the Treatment of Adolescents With Depression
Status:
Terminated
Trial end date:
2014-03-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
This study focuses on treating adolescents with depression. The study has two main purposes.
The first is to compare a new form of therapy for depression called Behavioral Activation
(BA) to the antidepressant medication fluoxetine. BA therapy helps depressed people get more
involved in activities they find enjoyable, which can reduce symptoms of depression. Research
shows that both BA and fluoxetine work to reduce depressive symptoms in adolescents. However,
unlike previous research, this study examines how well the two treatment options work in
comparison to each other. Participants in the study are randomized to receive treatment with
either BA or fluoxetine for 18 weeks.
The second aim of the study is to examine the brain functions of adolescents in both
treatment groups. Participants undergo functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) scans
before and after treatment. The data from these scans will be used to compare the brains of
participants in the BA condition with those in the fluoxetine condition. Also, the scans may
show possible differences between participants' brains before and after treatment. These data
may help scientists determine the ideal form of depression treatment for different types of
people.